Safety hat suspension system



Ma 21, 1968 H. A. RASCHK 3,383,705

SAFETY HAT SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed Nov. 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l HERBERT A. RASCHKE 3 INVENTOR.

Ioumsend w lownsend y 1, 1968 H. A. RASCHKE 3,383,705

SAFETY HAT SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed Nov. 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HERBERT A. RASCHKE INVENTOR.

loumsend 1 Iownsend United States Patent 3,383,705 SAFETY HAT SUSPENSION SYSTEM Herbert A. Rasehke, Greenbrae, Calif, assignor to E. D. Bullard Company, Sausalito, Calif. Filed Nov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,942 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety hat suspension system that includes crown straps for maintaining a space between the wearers head and the hat and a headband for encircling the wearers head to retain the hat in place on the head. Fasteners for affixing such suspension system within the safety hat at four points only, such fasteners being adapted to mount the crown straps rigidly and to mount the headband with a degree of freedom of movement so as to permit the headband to bend into conformity with the shape of the wearers head. A sweat pad and a structure for mounting the sweat pad to the headband so that the sweat pad will not come loose during use but can be quickly unfolded for cleaning and/ or drying.

This invention relates to a suspension system carried interior of a rigid safety hat shell for firmly and comfortably supporting the hat on the head of a wearer.

The suspension system of the present invention cornbines comfort to the wearer and economy of manufacture to a degree not heretofore attained. Comfort to the wearer is afforded by so securing the head-encircling band of the suspension system to mounting members that conformity of the headband to the head of the wearer is provided without excessive movement of the suspension system with respect to the safety hat shell. Economy of m-anufac ture is afforded by providing only four points of attachment between the suspension and the headband.

The foregoing desirable characteristics achieve the object of providing a suspension system which is fixed, i.e., non-adjustable crown straps overlying the crown of the head of the wearer, which crown straps are attached to fastener elements mounted on the interior of the hat at points spaced nearer the front and rear of the hat than the sides of the hat. A head-encircling band is secured to such fasteners by providing on the fasteners laterally and downwardly extending tabs on the fasteners which are flexibly or hingedly joined to the fasteners, thereby affording a degree of movement between the head-encircling band and the fasteners. Such movement permits the head-band to conform to the generally oval or elliptic shape of the human head so that the headband engages the head of the wearer with substantially uniform pressure throughout the periphery thereof.

Another object is to provide a suspension system having a sweat pad that spans the forehead of the wearer and which sweat pad is joined to the head-encircling band in a secure fashion when the hat is removed from the wearers head but which also affords rapid unfolding of the sweat pad from the headband for cleaning the former. This object is achieved in the present invention by providing a sweat pad of absorbent material which is joined to the headband along the lower edge of the outside forward portion of the headband. The sweat pad extends up along the interior surface of the front of the headband and has at the upper extremity thereof one or more relatively rigid members which retain the sweat pad in place during use and removal of the hat from the head of the wearer. The rigid members, since they are fixedly secured only to the flexible sweat pad material, can be easily folded out of the way when it is desired to unfold the sweat pad for cleaning.

The suspension system of the present invention also provides a headband which is adjustable to accommodate different sized heads and which head band is joinable to the fastening members at a plurality of vertical levels to accommodate for high crown and average shaped heads. The crown straps of the present suspension, being fixed with respect to the shell, support the head of the wearer at a fixed safe distance from the shell for all positions of the foregoing adjustments.

The present invention together with other objects, features and advantages of the same will be more apparent on referring to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the suspension system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view at enlarged scale of a suspension system fastening element of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the system headband taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary view of the fastening element of the present invention taken substantially along line 4a4a of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4b is a side view of the element of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of affixing the headband to the fastener element, portions of the figure being broken away to reveal otherwise obscured detail;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of my improved sweat pad mounting means taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the suspension system of the present invention shown in normal operative position in a safety hat shell.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 12 indicates a fastener element for mounting the suspension system in a hard hat or safety hat. The fastener element 12 here shown includes a dovetail lug 14, the specific shape of which forms no part of the invention and is here shown as exemplifying any suitable expedient for removably afiixing the fastener element to the interior of the hard hat. The interior of the hard hat has a complementary socket 16 for receiving lug 14. Each fastener element 12 is adapted for supporting one end of a crown strap 18, the exemplary fastener element here shown including a slot 20 for receiving the end of the crown strap therein, which crown strap end is turned back onto itself and stitched at 22 for completing the connection between the end of the crown strap and the fastener element. Crown straps 18 extend between opposite pairs of fastener elements 12 so that the crown straps intersect one another and overlie the top or crown of the wearers head. The length of the crown straps is selected in accordance with well-known design criteria so that the hat shell is held in suitable spaced-apart relation above the wearers head.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, fastener 12 includes a tab 24 extending laterally and slightly downwardly therefrom which tab is mounted to the main body of the fastener along a resilient or hingedly movable line formed by a cutout 26 adjacent the point of joinder of the tab to the main body of the fastener element. Because cutout 26 is formed obliquely of horizontal, the line of hinged movement between fastener 12 and tab 24 is similarly obliquely oriented. (See FIGS. 4a and 4b.) At the free end of tab 24, that is, the end remote from the main body of fastener element 12, a rectangular shoulder 28 is formed with the longitudinal axis of such shoulder in a generally horizontal position, a position approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of slot 20. At the outer extremity of shoulder 28 an enlarged portion 30 is formed and is shown in the drawings as a round or button-shaped member. Enlarged portion 30 has an inner surface 32 which confronts the surface of tab 24 in spaced-apart, parallel relation thereto.

A head-encircling band 34 is included in the present improved suspension system and is formed with a plurality of elongated slots 36 spaced strategically for cooperation with fastener elements 12. The portion of head band 34 adjacent slots 36 has a thickness slightly less than the distance between surface 32 of enlarged member 30 and the face of tab 24, to the end that the head band when in a substantially flat condition is slidable with respect to fastener element 12. Head band 34 also includes at the rear portion thereof a size adjusting portion 38, formed by overlying complementary tabs 49; one of which has a slot 42 and projection 44, the other of which includes a retainer member 46 slidably engaged in slot 42 and a row of holes 48 for releasably engaging projection 44 to afford adjustment for various head sizes.

Certain important features of the present invention may now be observed by reference to FIGS. 3 and 5. From FIG. 3 it will be seen that the thickness of head band 34 is less than the distance between enlarged head portion 30 and tab 24 to the end that the head band is slidably movable with respect to fastener element 12. Referring to FIG. it will be noted that the thickness of rectangular shoulder 23 is less than the width of slot 36 which also promotes such relative movement. However, it will be noted, for example, in FIG. 5 that any torsional force between head band 34 and fastener 12 tends to bind the two together so as to effect resistance against such movement. Attention is now invited to FIG. 7 wherein at 24a the position of tab 24 with respect to fastener 12 is shown in the operative position. Because of the oblique orientation of the hinge line formed by cutout 26, a binding force is established between inner surface 32 of enlarged head portion 30, the surface of tab 24, and the opposite surfaces of head band 34 adjacent slot 36. Thus, relative movement between the head band and the fastener element is resisted when the hat is in place on the wearers head because during such position tab 24 is urged pivotally or hingedly along the longitudinal axis or cutout 26.

The greater the amount of such hinged movement between tab 24 and fastener element 12, the greater will be the binding force between the head band and the fastener element. Consequently, the portion of head band 34 designated as 34a in FIG. 7, is free to conform to the relatively flat or large radius of curvature portion of the side of the wearers head. However, because the oblique connection between tab 24 and fastener element 12 provides the binding force between the head band and the fastener element, excessive movement between the suspension system and the shell is avoided. Because close conformity with the wearers head is provided, the pressure of band 34 on the wearers head is substantially uniform throughout the entire periphery of the head band.

In one suspension system constructed in accordance with the present invention tab 24 is of a length such that fastener elements 12 are mounted in the shell at an offset of approximately 1S-20 from a uniformly spaced arrangement. Such angular ofiset is indicated at 50 in FIG. 7. Stated otherwise, the tabs extend toward the minor elliptic axis of the shell from the fastener elements, which latter are mounted approximately midway between the major and minor elliptic axes of the shell.

In operation, the head band of the present suspension system resides in a generally circular form when not being worn. When the hat is placed on the head the band assumes a generally elliptic or oval shape conforming to the shape of the head. The slidable connection between the head band and the fastener elements permits some degree of movement to effect such conformity. The hinged or foldable joint between fastener element 12 and tab 24 contributes to such movement of the head band into conformity with the head. Since the line of hinged or foldable movement is obliquely oriented however, binding forces between the head band and fastener elements are established so that the head band is retained against movement in the hat shell in response to deformation of the head band into oval shape when the hat is donned by the wearer.

In order to accommodate both average shaped heads and high crowned heads, head band 34 can be formed with a plurality of slots 36. FIG. 5 shows, by way of example, a pair of such slots designated as 36 and 36a. The slots are mutually parallel, slot 36 positioning head band 34 for high crowned heads, slot 36a positioning the head band for average size heads. Because head band 34 is constructed of flexible material, enlarged head portion 30 and rectangular shoulder 28 can be readily engaged with either slot 36, 36a.

For absorbing perspiration from the wearers forehead before it reaches the eyes of the wearer, a sweat pad 52 is mounted in the forward portion of head band 34. Sweat pad 52 is formed with vertically extending slots 54 at each end thereof, through which head band 34 is threaded to assist in retaining the sweat pad in place. The lower edge margin .of the sweat pad is fastened along the lower exterior margin of head band 34 by rivet-like members 56. In one suspension system designed according to the present invention wherein head band 34 is formed of a suitable synthetic organic polyester material, rivet-like members 56 are formed integrally with the head band and are flattened over after complementary holes in sweat pad '52 are placed on the rivet-like members. Such form of attaching the sweat pad to the head band, permits the sweat pad to be substantially unfolded for cleaning or rinsing the same. Because sweat pad 52 is likely to adhere to the forehead of the wearer, thereby tending to unroll when the hat is removed, a resilient plate 58 is secured along the upper edge margin of sweat pad 52 by a line of stitching 60. Resilient plate 58 preferably extends downwardly by an amount such that its lower end can be retained between the exterior portion of the sweat pad lower edge and the exterior surface .of the head band. See FIG. 6. One centrally located resilient plate 58 of about one inch width has been found satisfactory for retaining the sweat pad in place, even during removal from the Wearers head in a soaked condition. When it is desired to clean or dry the sweat pad, however, it can be readily unfolded (see the broken lines of FIG. 6) by moving the lower edge of resilient plate 58 upwardly until it clears head band 34.

Thus, it will be seen that the present invention provides a suspension system of improved comfort because the pressure of the head band on the head is substantially uniform throughout the periphery of the head. This characteristic also improves the stability and firmness with which the suspension system retains the hat in place on the wearers head. The suspension system of the present invention, because it is composed of a small number of relatively simple parts, can be constructed most economica ly.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety hat comprising a substantially rigid head protecting shell, including means interior said shell defining four head suspension mounting members, said suspension mounting members being arranged in diagonally opposed pairs and being nearer the front and rear of said shell than the sides thereof, four fastener elements, each said fastener being associated with one said suspension mounting member, a pair of flexible crown straps for overlying the head of the wearer, means for securing each said crown strap between opposed pairs of said fasteners, each said fastener including a head band mounting tab extending obliquely laterally and downwardly therefrom in a direction generally circumferentially of said shell and in a direction away from the front and rear of said shell and toward the sides thereof, said tabs being integral with respective said fasteners and joined to respective fasteners with a resilient hinged connection along a line oblique to horizontal, a band for encircling the head of the wearer, and means for attaching said head-encircling band to each of said tabs, said attaching means including a slot and a member slidable in the slot that engages the margins of the band adjacent the slot with a force proportional to the amount of hinged movement of said tab relative said fastener.

2. In a suspension system for use in a rigid safety hat of generally elliptic form having mutually perpendicular major and minor axes, the improvement comprising means for defining four suspension system mounting members interior of said hat, said mounting members being disposed symmetrically with respect to said major axis and being spaced nearer said major axis than said minor axis, a fastener element engageable with each said member, a crown strap spanning each diagonally opposite pair of fastener elements and secured thereto for overlying the head of the wearer, each said fastener element including a tab extending laterally therefrom toward said minor axis, said tab being joined to said fastener element for resilient hinged movement relative said fastener element and along an axis oblique of horizontal, a headband for encircling the head of the wearer, and means for joining said headband to each said tab, said tab including a rectangular shoulder projecting inwardly from each said tab, said shoulder being elongated in a generally horizontal direction and having on the extremity thereof remote from said tab an enlarged head portion, said enlarged portion having a surface in parallel confronting relation to the surface of the tab and being spaced therefrom by an amount somewhat in excess of the thickness of said headband, said headband having slots formed thereinfor sliding engagement with said rectangular shoulder and including surface portions adjacent said slot for frictionally engaging the confronting surfaces of said tab and said enlarged head portion when said band is stressed obliquely of said confronting surfaces.

3. A suspension system according to claim 2 wherein said fastener element and said tab are formed integrally with one another from flexible synthetic organic polyester material, and wherein resilient hinged movement therebetween is afforded by a slot in said tab adjacent said fastener element, said' slot being elongated along an oblique axis.

4. A suspension system according to claim 2 in combination with a sweat pad spanning said head band intermediate the forward a pair of said fastener elements, said sweat pad including an elongate strip .of liquid absorbent material, means for joining said strip along the lower exterior margin of the forward portion of said headband, said strip being foldable over the lower edge margin of the headband and upwardly along the interior surface of the headband, and a substantially rigid plate attached to the upper edge .of said pad and extending along the exterior surface of the headband so that the relatively flexible pad is retained against unrolling movement by the plate when the hat is removed from the head of the wearer.

5. In combination with a safety hat suspension system of the type having a head encircling band, a rigid shell,

and means for mounting the band in the shell, an improved replaceable flexible sweat pad comprising an elongate strip of liquid absorbent material, means for joining said strip along the lower exterior margin of the forward portion of said headband so that the lower edge of the absorbent material resides above the lower edge of the headband to define a tuck-in space between the absorbent material and the exterior surface of the headband, said strip being foldable over the lower edge margin of the headband and upwardly along the interior surface of the headband, and a flat resilient plate attached to the upper edge of said pad and extending along the exterior surface of the headband and into said tuck-in space so that the flexible pad is retained against unrolling movement by the plate when the hat is removed from the head of the wearer, said plate having a circumferential extent less than 15 and being centrally disposed at the front of the shell.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said sweat pad is formed with a vertically extending slot at each end thereof, each said slot being somewhat longer than the width of said headband, said headband being passed through said slots for retaining the ends of said sweat pad in place on said headband.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,263 11/1920 Tipograph 2181 3,008,145 11/1961 Austin 23 3,041,621 7/1962 Brockmay 23 3,083,371 4/1963 Austin 23 3,175,225 3/ 1965 Lindblom 23 3,280,406 10/1966 Immel 2181 2,223,332 11/1940 Sterne 2171 HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner. 

